Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the one who got smacked up riding his motorcycle into a car that turned left in front of him, said Friday that he won't do any motorcycle safety announcements.

He wasn't wearing his helmet at the time, and suffered some facial injuries.

"I don't think that's my place. Some people feel that, you know, I probably should be doing that and being a big advocate for that. But for me, I'm going to let people make their own decisions ... So I don't think you'll see me doing any kind of billboards or advertisements."

Well good for him. That's exactly what bikers have been saying all along. It's up to each rider to decide. It's not that we as a society should ignore the dangers of riding, but that we should stress the importance of responsibility and the freedom of choice.

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I think it is fine that he doesn't want to be an advocate but I think he as well as ALL motorcyclists get involved with their local Concerned Biker Association / ABATE chapter. Not only does the CBA/ABATE fight for helmet law repeal but we fight for tougher penalties for cagers that run us over. CBA/ABATE also fights for better education of Cagers and riders. Here is an example of what my state is trying to accoplish http://www.cba-abatenc.org/

"Do you think Ben Roethlisburger needs a helmet at all now?He's got 7 titanium plates in his skull, which oughta protect his brain even better. Maybe the NFL can even waive his football helmet on the field. Imagine, the only NFL player without a helmet. Yes, he's sure the headstrong one, that Ben.

That should be available as a kit for wealthier bikers-- The Roethlisburger Maxiofacialcranial Titanium Endoskeletal Support System. "Look Good, Be Safe!" or "Protect Pennsylvania's asphalt from toxic helmet fragment contamination." These ABATE guys all wear their cool leathers so they won't get crash rash on their asses, but don't wanna wear helmets to protect their brains. What's that tell ya? It's just a game like the ones that kids and parents play. If there never was a helmet law ever/anywhere, people would wear helmets, because it makes sense to protect yourself. They wouldn't be inclined to jeopardize their personal safety out of the principle of shunning authority for not giving them choice. These same people probably use their seatbelts when in a car, without question, nor are they in a big hurry to disable their airbags. That only means that driving your car without wearing seatbelt is not a particularly high profile symbolic statement proclaiming the right to look cool and be a rebel. I'm don't like a lot of government imposed rules any more than most folks, but I can have a helmet. What if the law forbade wearing helmets, because helmets can restrict periferal vision, restrict hearing and hasten neck fatigue? If that were the case, I think MORE bikers would be protesting for their right to wear helmets, than those who protest their right not to wear them, now.

There are many things that I do or don't do, which just happen to align with the law, but I'm not acting from fear of breaking the laws. I just act from my own common sense, and don't necessarily even know every law that I'm in compliance with. There are plenty of other axes to grind about the government, besides helmet laws. Shut up and put on your helmet, because you know that it can protect you. Soldiers in Iraq wear their helmets. I've seen enough freeway action and intersection scenes that were close as I wanna be to war zones, unless you happen to be driving a Hummer. So wear your helmet and bitch about something more important."